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urqh · #2 (**permalink**) January 8th, 2003, 04:37 PM

Ill go out on a limb here and without looking at any accuracy stats/precision targetting etc...But I would say, that I would class the weapon as similar to the Iraqi scuds, great to use on built up very large city and I impress very large city areas, London is a massive target to hit...
Quite different to use on to any extent on dispersed troop lines. Maybe flinging as many as possible on D day could have done some serious damage, but I think the numbers due to accuracy would have dented any stockpile with regard to use on day 2 onwards etc...

If they were to be released on the beach areas anytime after day 1 then the number lost to defensive measures would have been similar to those lost on London, if not more after the allies realised what was happening. All priority would have been given to defence of the beaches by the naval fleet, barrage balloons etc in more numbers than we saw on day 1, more concentrated AA on shore at landing points, air force highest priority in fighter and re mission of bomber force to eliminate launch sites as number one mission.

As beacheads and troops expand inshore if weapons released at that point then accuracy plays a larger part and I think although localised destruction it would not have been on a massive scale.

2 points though...It would change priorites of naval and air force support and planning and all the consequences that would have for the resupply and land force initial advances.

The effect of maybe not too accurate weapons can be increased by the amount launched at one target.
I dont dismiss the problem of on day 1 if 50 such weapons had been launched on say Pegasus bridge and the forces in the vicinity from airborne and commandos if hitting on time of junction of the forces.

In summary and admit its my own view without really looking into it too much, off the cuff, but the invasion beaches could have been hit, damaged and cause plans to be changed for the initial build up if launched immediatedly on invasion, but I dont think it would have halted the invasion.

If launched at a later time when troops dispersing inland then the accuracy effect comes into play, although worrying to troops on the ground, after a while surely they would be no more effective against troops in the field than say artillery barrage. To make any good effect they would need to be launched in big numbers over a short time span, and then the stock is going to be seriously depleted.

On the moral side, I dont know, maybe would be as fearsome in troops mind as say BEF and French armies had with the obviouly fear installing stukas in the early days of the war...reputation.